Managing hypoglycaemia

Minimising hypos with an insulin pump

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To deal with the challenges of keeping blood glucose levels under better control, many people with Type 1 diabetes rely on insulin pumps.

An insulin pump is a small device, about the size of a mobile phone, that can be easily carried on a belt, inside a pocket, or even attached to a bra.

The insulin pump can help you and your healthcare team to more closely mimic the way a healthy pancreas delivers the basal insulin to the body by providing small amounts of rapid acting insulin during the day and night.

It can help to better manage the need for insulin dose adjustment, particularly after meals and overnight and can thus help to achieve better glucose control.

Instead of frequent injections, all that is needed on pump therapy is a change of infusion set every 2 to 3 days.

Since going on a pump, Lara's blood glucose levels became stable and she had fewer hypos. For me it meant less worries and better quality of life.

- ANDREA

How does the MiniMed® 640G insulin pump help control glucose levels?

The MiniMed® 640G insulin pump allows for better glucose control due to the ability to adjust insulin delivery, reducing the risks of hypers and hypos. With insulin pump therapy users can benefit from:

Easier dosing Calculating insulin requirement can be a complex task with many different aspects to be considered. As part of the MiniMed 640G insulin pump, the built-in Bolus Wizard® feature helps to ensure more accurate dosing by taking into account the insulin already in the body, current glucose levels, carbohydrate intake and personal insulin settings.

Fewer injectionsPrecise amounts of rapid acting insulin are delivered throughout the day by the infusion set which is easily removed and replaced every 2 to 3 days.

Greater flexibilityThe MiniMed 640G insulin pump can be instantly adjusted to allow for exercise, during illness or to deliver small boluses to cover snacks. This can be easily done with a touch of a button, rather than with another injection. There is even a temporary basal rate option to proportionally reduce the basal insulin rate, an option that can be used during exercise, for example.

More convenienceThe MiniMed 640G insulin pump offers the additional convenience of a wirelessly connected blood glucose meter. This meter automatically sends blood glucose values to the pump, allowing more accurate Bolus Wizard calculations. It also stores this information in a digital diary along with your insulin doses.

How the MiniMed® 640G insulin pump can help in daily life

Clinical studies* confirm that Type 1 patients of all ages who switch from Multi Daily Injections (MDI) to insulin pump therapy report improvements in their quality of life and increased satisfaction with their treatment. The MiniMed 640G insulin pump can help maintain target levels and reduce hypoglycaemia.* Easily managing your insulin needs can allow a more flexible lifestyle.

The MiniMed® 640G insulin pump and Food

Food plays a central role in diabetes management. If you are using frequent injections, it can be more difficult to manage delayed meals, skipped meals or diverse diets. With the MiniMed 640G insulin pump balancing insulin requirements with food can be easier, for example the different bolusing options can be used to match the needs of the situation and the meal type.

The Bolus Wizard® feature makes calculating the amount of insulin needed easier, as it does the maths based on: carbohydrate intake, blood glucose levels, insulin to carb ratios and the amount of active insulin in your body. This helps to ensure you are getting precisely the right amount of insulin to manage your glucose levels.

The MiniMed® 640G insulin pump and Exercise

Regular exercise is important for body and mind and is recommended by most physicians. Exercise may also lower blood glucose levels. The MiniMed 640G insulin pump offers the ability to adjust the basal rate of insulin as needed for the activity; from a competitive match to a gentle hike, and helps reduce the risk of post exercise hypoglycaemia. Many athletes with Type 1 diabetes use an insulin pump to gain better glucose control.

The MiniMed® 640G insulin pump and Night Hypos

Basal needs may change over the course of 24 hours. MDI long acting insulin doses do not typically account for these fluctuations, and instead are usually matched to the average need. The MiniMed 640G can be set to different basal rates matched to personal hourly requirements. This could help to reduce hypoglycaemia, especially overnight when sleeping.

The MiniMed 640G insulin pump and restoring hypoglycaemia awareness

People who have been living with diabetes for several years may lose their ability to sense impending hypoglycaemia (hypo-unawareness). The use of the MiniMed 640G insulin pump, could help improve hypoglycaemia awareness by reducing the mild hypoglycaemic events and reducing spikes in glucose levels, during the day and at night.*

REFERENCES

* References are kept on file and are available on request; please contact your local Medtronic representative for copies.

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The content and all information provided on this website is for your informational use only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment in any manner. The patient stories provided are experiences specific to a particular patient. Responses to a treatment may vary from patient to patient. Always talk with your physician about diagnosis and treatment information and ensure that you understand and carefully follow that information.